Watchcase having improved means for attaching wristband



1, 1968 A. GISIGQ-LUSA 3, 03,5

WATCHCASE HAVING IMPROVED MEANS FOR ATTACHING WRISTBAND Filed Dec. 30, 1966 FIE. l

United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A watchcase having attaching means, such as a Wristband, attached thereto at the interior of the watchcase thereby eliminating unsightly exterior attaching horns.

The present invention is directed to a novel watchcase having an improved means for attaching a band thereto, such as a wristband, whose purpose is to attach the watchcase to an external supporting means.

As is well known, watches commonly include various means such as horns, loops, etc., for attaching a mounting band or belt to the watchcase, such known attaching means being relatively unaesthetici ln todays market the aesthetic appearance of items is very important to their commercial acceptance, and this is particularly applicable as to items which are worn on the person and in which, therefore, it is sought to achieve an auxiliary cosmetic effect. Wristwatches obviously are in this category, it being a well known fact that extensive innovations have recently come into effect in wristwatch design specifically directed to the appearance of same; for example, a tremendous amount of effort has been expended in order to produce a thin wristwatch purely for aesthetic reasons.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved means for attaching a band to a watchcase and thereby eliminating the conventional horns, loops, etc.

Specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide an attaching means which is not visible externally of the watchcase.

A further object of this invention is to provide the aforementioned fastening means through an arrangement which is simple and correspondingly economical to manufacture.

A further object of this invention is to provide an attaching means as aforedescribed in the foregoing objects, but with specific reference to a wristband for a wristwatch.

Further objects are those which are inherent in the disclosed invention which will now be described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment of realization as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top view in perspective of the lower portion of a watchcase in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the case of FIG- URE 1 on a reduced scale relative thereto; and,

FIGURE 3 is .a partial vertical sectional view of the watchcase of this invention taken along a plane extending parallelly along the longitudinal centerline of the wristband, and showing also the top parts of the watchcase attached to the lower portion.

The watchcase is circular and comprises a lower or back housing 1, a bezel 2 and a glass 3. The glass is mounted in a customary manner in a notched circumferential portion of the bezel 2, which, in turn, comprises an axially extending frustoconical inner surface 4 which lockingly engages with a correspondingly in- 3,403,505 Patented Oct. 1, 1968 clined outer surface on annular rim 5 which extends axially upward from \back housing 1. Extending radially outwardly from the base of rim 5 is a circumferential collar 6 defined by upper and lower radial faces 7 and 8, respectively. Bezel 2 rests against face 7. From the inner edge of face 8 there extends downwardly and inwardly a frustoconical flange 9 which at its downwardinward end connects to and borders a flat central plate portion 10. It is seen, therefore, that flange 9 and plate portion 10 constitute a back or bottom cover of the watchcase.

In order to manufacture the back housing 1, one starts from a sheet of metal which is shaped by cutting and stamping operations. In particular, the collar 6 is formed by bending the edge of the blank on itself, so that collar 6 comprises two thicknesses of material. The cutting on the lathe of the frustoconical outer face of the rim 5 is the only machining operation with cutting tools which the production of the back housing 1 requires.

The manufacturing operations are completed with use of a stamp-cutting tool or punch having a flat face whose shape conforms in plan view to the outer periphery of plate portion 10 as it appears in FIGURE 2. In FIG- URE 2, it is seen that plate portion 10 is defined by opposed areuate portions 16 which terminate at their opposite ends in straight portions 17. When the punch, configured as just described, is driven downwardly in alignment with the central axis of the watchcase, it is evident that it will cut axially through flange 9 along vertical walls 11 and push the intermediate portions 12 and 13 of said flange downwardly into the plane of plate portion 10. It will further be seen that this punchcutting operation results in two circumferentially extending and diametrically opposed approximately rectangular slots 18 extending from the interior of the case to outwardly thereof, said slots being laterally bounded by walls 11, downwardly by push-out portions 12 and 13, respectively, and upwardly by the lower face 8 of collar 6.

The end portions of two wristband sections 14 and 15 extend inwardly through slots 18. The end portions of these wristband elements are comprised of metal, such as metal wires, and they are brazed to the respective portions 12 and 13 of the back portion 10. The brazing operation can be carried out in reducing furnace, and the solder used completely closes and seals the slots 18 with the band sections 14 and 15 extending thereinto.

Of course, some other method beside brazing could be used to fasten the armband elements 14 and 15 to the flat surfaces 12 and 13, for instance, electric welding, soldering, bonding, etc.

The sections of the watchband are thus fastened against flat surfaces 12 and 13 which are aligned with each other so that there is no danger of their twisting or breaking at the place from which they extend free, particularly as the said flat surfaces are parallel to the back 10 and extend at the same level therewith. The portions of the watchband sections 14 and 15 which extend into the back housing 1 remain between the walls 11. As they do not protrude to beyond the inner edge of the frustoconical flange 9, they do not interfere with the positioning of the movement, whose pillar plate thread comes to rest on the rim 5 where it is held in place by the raised portion of the bezel 2.

As a variant, the case described could also be provided with an encasing ring which carries the movement and is held in place by the raised portion of the bezel or by other known means.

The fastening means described above could also be used for pendant watches or still other types of watches. It is not limited either to round watches but could be readily applied also to square or rectangular watches or watches of any other shape.

The details given herein with regard to a preferred embodiment of realization are intended for illustrative purposes and not for limitative purposes, it being intended that the scope of the appended claims or claims subsequently added by amendment be applicable to all modifications, substitutions, or equivalents which are either obvious or well within the purview of one skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. A watchcase comprising an upper part and a lower part having each a peripheral rim portion arranged to removably secure said parts to one another, said lower part comprising a radial back cover portion extending axially from said rim portion, and a pair of diametrically opposed openings provided in said lower part between said rim and said cover portion, said watchcase further comprising, a band having opposite end portions each extending through respective ones of said openings and 20 3. The watchcase of claim 1, said band end portions being permanently bonded to 'said back cover portion.

4. The watchcase of claim 3, said band being brazed to said back cover portion.

5. The watchcase of claim 2, said back cover portion having a periphery defined by opposed arcuate edges and straight edges extending oppositely from the two ends of said arcuate edges, an inclined flange extending from said arcuate edges upwardly to said rim portion, said flange including vertical lateral walls extending upwardly from said straight edges, said lateral walls defining the ends of said openings in said rim portion, the sides of said band portions fitting closely between respective pairs of said lateral walls.

6. The watchcase of claim 1, said band being a wristband.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,775,861 1/1957 Fachon 5888 FOREIGN PATENTS 47,976 8/ 1909 Switzerland. 343,947 2/ 1960 Switzerland. 349,222 11/1960' Switzerland. 351,224 2/ 1961 Switzerland. 355,095 7/1961 Switzerland.

RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner. GEORGE H. MILLER, JR., Assistant Examiner. 

